1. Discovering New Worlds
The Age of Exploration
Discovering New Worlds

2. GUESS what the numbered places are intended to be!1 3
GUESS what the numbered places are intended to be! 2
Insert a map of your country.
The World

3. Map Interpretation--Pairs
1) What continents are present on your map?
2) What physical features (mountains, rivers, etc) can you identify?
3) What navigational details does your map provide (longitude, latitude, a compass rose)?
4) Each map has detailed pictures around the edge representing exploration and who/what was found in new places. Describe
The people: Who are they (guess if you have to), are they real or mythological, how are they portrayed, why include them?
The places: Are they European-built? Native? What purposes do they serve? Why were they important enough to include?
The things: Food, animals, water features, ships, diagrams, navigation equipment? Why include them?
5) Evaluate your map—how useful is it? What makes you say it is/isn’t useful?

4. A Common Misconception
Educated people KNEW the earth was round.
Sailors KNEW that they could sail west to get to India
Northern Europeans KNEW that there was a land mass in the North (They called it “Newfoundland”.)
Chinese explorers KNEW that there was a land mass between their continent and Europe
Columbus did NOT know that he had found a new continent. (That’s why we call Native Americans Indians)
NO ONE knew how large the Americas were
Insert a map of your country.

5. A Common Misconception
Educated people KNEW the earth was round.
Sailors KNEW that they could sail west to get to India
Northern Europeans KNEW that there was a land mass in the North (They called it “Newfoundland”.)
Chinese explorers KNEW that there was a land mass between their continent and Europe
Columbus did NOT know that he had found a new continent. (That’s why we call Native Americans Indians)
NO ONE knew how large the Americas were
ALL TRUE!
Insert a map of your country.

6. Newfoundland

7. Which motivating factor do you think is the strongest? Why?
Motivating Reasons
Monarchs and companies were willing to take the risks for many reasons:
1. Gold
2. God
3. Glory
Which motivating factor do you think is the strongest? Why?
Why do we explore (space, the ocean) today?

8. What Does Gold Have To Do With It?
Kings and Queens were very interested in getting gold from the “New World” because of an idea called Mercantilism.
Mercantilism says that money = power. Without wealth, a country would not be respected or able to protect themselves or their colonies.
Inca
Insert a picture of an animal and or plant found in your country.
Aztec

9. Mercantilism Today
Mercantilism Today
Which country would be the richest “mercantilist” country based on your chart?
Which would be in the middle?
Which would be the poorest?
Rank
Country
Amount of Money the Country Makes For Every Person (per capita GNP)
China
$5,300
Mexico
$12,800
Luxembourg
$80,500
Switzerland
$41,100
Rwanda
$900
Zimbabwe
$200
Canada
$28,400
India
$2,700
United States
$45,800
Add key points in the history of your country to the timeline.

10. What Does Gold Have To Do With It?
Kings and Queens would share their wealth with the explorers who discovered new trade routes
Insert a picture of an animal and or plant found in your country.

11. What Does God Have To Do With It?
Unselfishly - The Protestant Reformation made many religions and each one wanted to save as many souls as possible.
Selfishly – Each new convert meant more money and donations for that religion. Each new convert meant that religion had a stronger influence on the political decisions of that geographical area.
Were the missionaries successful? (What is the major religion of the Americas today?)Where do people go today for mission work? What are their goals? What dangers do they face?
Insert a picture illustrating a season in your country.

12. What Does God Have To Do With It?
Rank
Country
Amount of Money the Country Makes For Every Person (per capita GNP) 7
China
$5,300 6
Mexico
$12,800 2
Luxembourg
$80,500 4
Switzerland
$41,100 1
Qatar
$80,900 9
Rwanda
$900 10
Zimbabwe
$200 5
Canada
$28,400 8
India
$2,700 3
United States
$45,800
CONNECT: How does GNP impact where missionaries go?

13. What Does Glory Have To Do With It?
Sir Walter Raleigh named Raleigh, N.C. after himself
Kings and queens would get recognition for funding voyages
Explorers would get recognition for finding things
Virginia is named after the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I

14. Exploration Needs 1. A leader
Embarking on a voyage is no easy task. To travel you need the following:
1. A leader
2. Money (usually given by a King or Queen but sometimes a company)
3. A motivating reason
4. Good technology
5. Good location
Insert a picture of one of the geographic features of your country.

15. New Technology
Compass
Astrolabe—finding latitude
Latitude and Longitude
How do each of these help a ship have a successful voyage?
Caravel ship & lateen sail

16. Astrolabe
used to show how the sky looks at a specific place at a given time and then determine one’s location.
How could an astrolabe facilitate exploration?

17. Caravel & Galleon Ship
Had the ability to sail windward and maneuver easily
How could the caravel facilitate exploration?
The Chinese treasure junk beside the smaller European caravel

18. Lateen sails & 3-4 masts
This many triangular sails were easily put up and taken down and could sail windward
How could lateen sails and multi-masts facilitate exploration?

19. Compass
How could a compass facilitate exploration?

20. Location
Many different countries were involved in exploration but the major ones were:
Spain
Portugal
England
France
What geographical advantage do these countries have over other European countries like Russia and Germany?
Insert a picture illustrating a custom or tradition here.

21. Explorers Mapping Activity

22. Extension Activity: Exploration Recruitment
EXPLORER’S NAME
Their background: What makes him a good captain?
Where are you leaving from?
Where are you going?
What it your motivation?
What will you look for/find?
Will you encounter natives?
(If so, what will you do to them?)
How dangerous will it be?
ILLUSTRATION
All explorers needed crews. Most men also didn’t want to go traveling half-way (or all the way) around the world without knowing what they were getting in to and what they would get out of it.
Create a recruitment poster that will explain to potential crewmen what they would happen if they travelled with your explorer.

23. Extension
Using the map on pages 74-75, decide which of the explorers destination look most like your own.
Use a different color for each explorer.
At the bottom of the sheet tell me whose trade route resembles the one that you chose.
Drake Magellan (and later Elcano) Columbus Da Gama
Hudson Tasman

24. Exit Slip What explorer was the first to circumnavigate the world?
Why did European countries want to explore? (Hint: 3 reasons)
What new innovations or inventions made travelling easier?